Posted!

The Paterson armory, shown in 2013, stood vacant for decades before most of the building was destroyed in a fire in 2015. The historic façade is the only portion that remains. North Jersey Media Group File

11/9/15: Paterson firefighters with mutual aid from across Passaic and Bergen Counties battled a smoky six alarm fire for hours on Monday night. The fire started about 11:30 PM in the basement of the Paterson Armory at 465 Market Street. The large century old building had been vacant for many years but had a long history. Firefighters first attempted to a6ttack the flames from the inside, but were driven out but the intense smoke which made visibility zero. Bill Tompkins/Special to The Record

1/20/16: Workers welding part of the beams off from Paterson Armory during a demolition in Paterson. The armory had a seven-alarm fire that tore through the inside of the long-empty building on November 14th, 2015. Mitsu Yasukawa, Mitsu Yasukawa/ Staff Photograph

The current plan for the site developer Charles Florio said he expects to spend between $17 and $20 million to build a 138-unit luxury housing complex at the site of the old Paterson Armory. Renderings provided by Charles Florio

Jose Henriquez, 31, resident of Paterson, poses for a photo with his tattoo of the Paterson Armory on his arm, which he did 3 years ago to honor of the neighborhood where he grew up. The historic building of Paterson Armory was destroyed in a fire and was set to be demolished. Marko Georgiev/Staff Photographe, Marko Georgiev/Staff Photojourna

Sayegh said the cash-strapped city would reap a short-term windfall of $3 million from the sale as well as the long-term benefit of the added tax ratable.

“The operative word is 'transformational,' ” Sayegh said during a City Council meeting where plans for the Armory site were fleshed out. “It will transform a neighborhood, and it will have a ripple effect.”

Indeed, if the deal gets final approval from the council and Planning Board, it could prove to be just the sort of “pioneer” development the city needs to kick-start its long-awaited renaissance. In an interview with Joe Malinconico of Paterson Press, Florio said the project would cost $17 million to $20 million to build and would take up to two years to complete.

The small section of the Armory that remains standing after a 2015 fire destroyed most of the long-vacant building sits at the corner of Market Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard in an area plagued by drug dealing and street gang activity. Still, in Paterson, a potential ratable, no matter the location, is a reason for renewed hope.

“This will bring a whole new light to that community to change it to how it should be,” said Councilwoman Ruby Cotton. “People in our city need to start feeling good about where they live.”

Back in its heyday, the Armory served as a grand venue — a stopping point for national campaigning presidential candidates, professional athletes and major entertainers — yet it has long since fallen on hard times. In a nod to Paterson’s storied history, the Florio project would preserve the Armory’s iconic façade.

Other plans for the site include apartments with high ceilings, balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. There is even the possibility of an outdoor swimming pool and rooftop garden. Street-level amenities would include a restaurant, retail space and a police substation.

Developer Charles Florio's development plan would preserve the historic façade of the Paterson Armory.(Photo: Rendering provided by Charles Florio)

Of course, the ultimate success of any such plan will be in the details. We have seen too many similar “large-scale” possibilities in the city come along, and in the end not pan out for one reason or another. One positive in this Armory site proposal, however, is that Florio is no stranger to the city. He is going in with his eyes open.

“What I did in the 4th Ward people said couldn’t be done,” Florio said of his work rebuilding low-income apartments where vacant buildings once stood. “Now I’m going to be the guy who brought luxury housing to Paterson.”

While it’s too early to be completely bowled over by the Armory plan, it certainly looks promising. And it appears that Sayegh is wasting no time in attempting to follow through on his campaign boasts to bring more ratables to the city. Everyone would agree that Paterson sorely needs them.